Game board with recording means

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus for playing and recording successive plays in a game of chess wherein the game board has squares marked thereon. Each square has a vertical opening therethrough for receiving a playing piece having a shank and an end with recording indicia thereon. A grid beneath the game board is movable between a recording position and an inking position and has openings for receiving the shanks of the playing pieces when the grid is in its recording position. The grid also has inking means located on the surface of the grid facing the game board for receiving the ends of the playing pieces having recording indicia thereon when the grid is in its inking position. Means are provided below the grid to supply a continuous web of material for recording the position of the playing pieces.

United States Patent 3,703,293 Nekton 1 Nov; 21, 1972 [54] GAME BOARDWITH RECORDING Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe MEANS Attorney-Markva,Smith & Kruger [72] Inventor: Armas H. Nekton, 32 Sunset Road,

Valley Stream, NY. 11580 [57] ABSTRACT t A game apparatus for playingand recording succes- [22] Filed 1970 sive plays in a game of chesswherein the game board [21] Appl. No.: 103,157 has squares markedthereon. Each square has a vertical opening therethrough for receiving aplaying piece having a shank and an end with recording indicia g1]...273/136 thereon A grid beneath the game board is movable between arecording position and an inking position [58] Field of Search..173/131, 136, 101/103 and has openings for receiving the Shanks of theP13, ing pieces when the grid is in its recording position. [56]References cued The grid also has inking means located on the surfaceUNITED STATES PATENTS of the grid facing the game board for receivingthe 0 O3 ends of the playing pieces having recording indicla 458,0858/1891 Wert ..1 III thereon when the grid is in its inking positionMeans 509,858 12/1893 Anton ..l0l/103 are provided below the grid tosupply a continuous 3,477,715 11/1969 Nekton "273/136 B web of materialfor recording the position of the playing pieces.

16 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures I 'ln/ 9 PATENTED NOV 21 I972 SHEET 1 BF 3INVENTOR- 4/9/ 445 IVE/08M fih' MMMM j l 00000000 W 000000000/ 00000000lktiw b w fio 00000 A'TTUEN EYS GAME BOARD WITH RECORDING MEANS Thisinvention relates to recording apparatus for games, and particularly toapparatus or mechanism for recording successive moves of the game piecesor men in games such as chess, checkers, and the like, by use of theplaying pieces during actual play. The invention is an improvement overthe device disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,477,715.

Students of the game of chess frequently find it beneficial to replayand analyze games played by themselves to find fallacies or mistakesmade in their play and improve their technique. To do this, it isnecessary to make a record of the successive plays of the game. Also, tocope with interruptions of the game at any point or to review the statusof the game at any stage, it is necessary to provide quick and simplemeans for recording all the positions of the pieces at any point.

This invention has for its salient object to provide apparatus foreasily, quickly and accurately recording the move of each game piece assoon as it is made, thus providing an accurate record of the game.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple constructionfor supplying a continuous web of material for recording the positionsof the playing pieces.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus forplaying and recording successive plays which may be easily assembled anddisassembled when necessary and which may be inexpensively manufactured.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a convenient meanswhereby ink may be applied to the recording indicia on each of theplaying pieces.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part ofthis application in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game board embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the game board shown in FIG. 1 inopen position showing some of the interior parts thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment of a game piece;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the game board shown in FIG. 1 partly insection with the grid in its inking position;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the game board shown in FIG. I partly insection showing the grid in its recording position;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the game board taken along theline 6-6 of FIG 4;

FIG. 7 is a further cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view through a portion of the game board takenalong the line 8-8 of FIG. 4 showing a game piece relative to the inkingposition of the grid;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 8 taken along the line 9-9 ofFIG. 5 showing the grid in recording position and a game piece in theposition of recording on a paper web;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternative arrangement for thecontinuous paper web supply; and

Fig. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing an alternativearrangement for holding the game piece in elevated position.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in thedrawings, there is shown a game board 1 having a checkerboard pattern 2thereon. The checkerboard pattern is divided into eight vertical rows ofsquares and eight horizontal rows of squares and each square has anopening 3 therethrough for receiving the shank 4 of a playing piece 5.The game board has an opening 7 for receiving a record stop pin 8,openings 9, one on each playing side, for receiving captured playingpieces and openings 10, one on each playing side, for receiving checkingplaying pieces.

The playing board itself is mounted by means of hinges l 1 along oneside thereof on a box-like structure comprising side walls 12, l3, l4and 15 and bottom 16.

Immediately beneath the game board 1 is a grid 17 slidably supported ona guide plate 18 between guides 19 on opposite sides thereof. The guides19 include raised support portions 20 which retain the bottom of thegame board 1 a fixed distance above the grid 17 allowing the grid to befreely movable between a recording position. towards wall 13 and aninking position towards wall 15. The grid 17 includes a tongue 21projecting through a slot 22 in wall 15 to manually control movement ofthe grid 17 between the two positions.

The grid 17 comprises a plurality of holes 23, equal in number to theopenings 3 in the game board 1, which are arranged in vertical andhorizontal rows for align ment with the openings 3 when the grid 17 isin recording position. Between the horizontal rows of holes 23 ink padstrips 24 are horizontally arranged for alignment with the horizontalrows of openings 3 in game board 1 when the grid 17 is in inkingposition. Holes 25 and 26, one of each on each playing side, areprovided between the tongue 21 and the plurality of holes 23 andcorrespond to openings 9 and 10 for receiving captured playing piecesand checking playing pieces respectively in the game board 1. In theopposite side of the grid 17 a slot 27 is provided which corresponds toopening 7 in the game board 1 and receives therethrough the record stoppin 8 while permitting the grid 17 to freely slide between the inkingand recording positions. Two lugs 28 are provided on the grid 17 and acorresponding two lugs 29 are located on the interior surface of wall15. A rubber band 30 extends between each pair of lugs 28 and 29 to biasthe grid 17 towards the inking position in the direction of wall 15whereby the inking pad strips 24 are positioned beneath each of the rowsof openings 3 in playing board 1. By manually pushing tongue 21 the grid17 may be moved to the recording position towards wall 13, extendingrubber bands 30 and causing the holes 23 in grid 17 to be aligned withthe openings 3 in game board 1. Releasing pressure on tongue 21 causesthe rubber bands 30 to promptly return the grid 17 to the inkingposition whereby the inking pad strips 24 are again aligned beneath therows of openings 3 in game board 1.

The guide plate 18 is supported on pairs of blocks 31, 32 and 33 securedin the bottom of the box-like structure. A continuous strip of paper web34 in the form of a roll 35 is mounted on a spindle 36 which is retainedbetween the pairs of blocks 32 and 33. The paper web 34 passes around aroller 37 mounted on a spindle 38 which is supported in slots 39extending downwardly from the top of each of the blocks 31. The paperweb 34 then passes upwardly through opening 40 in guide plate 18 andhorizontally along a recessed part 41 in the guide plate. The end of thepaper web 34 is manually drawn out of the box-like structure throughslot 42 in wall 13. Conveniently, a cutter bar 43 having a serrated edgemay be secured with block 44 to the exterior surface of wall 13 aboveand a short distance rearwardly of slot 42. With this arrangement shortincrements of the continuous web 34 may be torn off after beingwithdrawn leaving a short part of the web 34 between the exterior sideof the wall 13 and the serrated edge of the cutter bar 43 which can begripped manually when a further increment of the continuous web 34 is tobe withdrawn.

There are two sets of playing pieces in the game of chess, one of themusually designated as the white pieces and the other designated as theblack pieces. The white pieces would be mounted on one side of the gameboard and the black pieces would be mounted on the opposite side, thesides being on opposite sides of a center line extending between therecord stop pin 8 and a point midway between openings 10.

Each playing piece has the conventional head and body identifying it asfor instance Rook, Bishop, Queen, etc. as shown in my US. Pat. No.3,477,715. For the sake of simplicity these have all been identified inthe drawings as playing pieces 5. The end of the shank 4 of each of theplaying pieces 5 has a unique indicia 45 mounted thereon. Each of theindicia identify the particular playing piece. Thus, the Queen may havea Q on the bottom and the King may have a K, etc. or each may have anequivalent identification character or means. A black or bold faceletter will identify a black playing piece while a white or open faceletter will identify a white playing piece.

Any suitable arrangement may be provided to maintain the playing pieces5 in elevated position in the openings 3 in the playing board 1. Variousmeans are disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,477,715. In one possiblearrangement each of the playing pieces 5 includes a collar 46 and ahelical spring 47, one end of which is secured in a hold 48 in thecollar. The spring extends downwardly only part of the way along theshank 4. The playing pieces are positioned in the openings 3 in the gameboard 1 with the part of the shank 4 below the spring retained withinthe opening 3, with the end of the spring 47 resting on the surface ofthe board 1 as shown in FIG. 8.

An alternative arrangement is shown in FIG. 11 wherein the shank 4 isprovided with a collar 49. The opening 3 includes an enlarged bore 50 inwhich is retained a washer 51 and a helical spring 52. A plate 53 havinga hole 54 is secured across the bottom of the bore 50 retaining thespring 52 in'place. The playing piece 5 is inserted through the opening3, washer S1, spring 52, and the hole 54 in plate 53, the bottom of thecollar 49 resting on the surface of the washer 51.

The record sheet has printed thereon a plurality of squares, each squarecorresponding to a square in the game board. With the grid 17 in itsinking position as seen in FIG. 4 and arranged with the inking padstrips 24 beneath the openings 3, any of the game pieces may bedepressed against the pressure of spring 47 or spring 52 to press theindicia 45 against the surface of the respective inking pad strips 24 asseen in FIG. 8 whereby the indicia 45 is inked after which pressure onthe playing piece is released, the playing piece returning to its normalelevated position. When it is desired to record the movement of aplaying piece 5, the tongue 21 is first pressed inwardly causing thegrid 17 to move towards wall 13 and its recording position as seen inFIG. 5 after which the particular playing piece 5 is depressed causingthe indicia 45 and a shank 4 to pass through the respective hole 23 inthe grid 17 and the indicia 45 to be pressed against the surface of theweb strip 34 marking the corresponding square on the web strip with theunique indicia of the particular playing piece as seen in FIG. 9. Theplaying piece 5 is then released causing it to return to its normalposition after which the tongue 21 is released permitting the grid 17 toreturn to its inking position.

When a player captures an opponents game piece he inserts the piece inthe opening 9 on his side of the playing board 1 and after inking theindicia thereon and moving the grid 17 to recording position he recordsthe identity of his opponents captured piece on the paper. Each time aplayer makes a move checking his opponents King be similarly records theidentity of his checking piece by inserting it in the opening 10 on hisside of the playing board 1.

The continuous paper web 34 contains perforations 55 along the center ofthe web strip at regularly spaced distances equivalent to approximatelythe distance from one side of the game board 1 to the other side. Theweb strip is held in position beneath the grid 17 and game board 1 bythe weighted record stop pin 8 which passes downwardly under theinfluence of gravity through opening 7 in the game board 1, slot 27 inthe grid 17 and one of the perforations 55 in the paper web strip 34.The top end of the record stop pin 8 extends above the surface of thegame board 1 so that it can be manually lifted.

When it is desired to remove an increment of the paper web strip 34 uponwhich recordings have been made, the record stop pin 8 is raisedreleasing the paper web strip 34 after which it is withdrawn a shortdistance through slot 42 in wall 13. The record stop pin 8.may then bereturned to nearly its normal position pressing against the surface ofthe paper web 34. Withdrawing of the paper web 34 is continued until therecord stop pin 8 drops into the next succeeding perforation 55 in thepaper web causing further withdrawal of the paper web to be stopped. Thewithdrawn paper web 34 containing the recordings may then beconveniently torn off by means of cutter bar 43.

An alternative arrangement for the continuous paper web supply is shownin FIG. 10 wherein a folded continuous web stack 56 is substituted forthe supply roll 35. Perforations 57 are provided in the web strip 56 ina similar manner as the perforations 55 in web 34. The web strip 56 canbe withdrawn in the same manner as the web 34 is withdrawn around roller37 and across guide plate 18. Alternatively the stack 56 can be locatedoutside the box and fed directly into the box through slot 40, bypassingroller 37. As the web is withdrawn the folded stack shown in FIG. 10 isdiminished To load or reload the game apparatus with fresh paper web,the game board 1 is pivoted upwardly on its hinges as seen in FIG. 2exposing the grid 17. The rubber bands 30 are then removed from lugs 28and 29 and the side of the grid 17 adjacent wall 13 is then raised andwithdrawn causing the tongue 21 to pass through slot 22. This exposesthe guide plate 18 which may then be lifted upwardly off the pairs ofblocks 31, 32 and 33. The roll of paper 35, or stack 56 if housed withinthe box, is then inserted. In the case of the roll, the spindle 36passes downwardly between blocks 32 and 33 and the end of the paper webis drawn upwardly around roll 37 after which the guide plate 18 isreplaced. In the case of the stack 56 fed directly from the outside ofthe box, guide plate 18 need not be removed or replaced. After layingthe paper web across the top of the guide plate 18 in recessed part 41and through slot 42 in wall 13 the grid l7'is replaced, the rubber bands30 replaced and the game board 1 pivoted back into position. The gameapparatus is then ready for play.

At any point in a game all or any part of the playing pieces and theirmoves can be printed on the paper web. The pattern or sequence ofmovements in playing, when moving the pieces from square to square andrecording the moves, is, one, lift; two, move to new holes; three,depress for inking; four, push inwardly tongue 21; and five, depress forrecording. The same sequence is followed when a piece is checking or hasbeen captured in which case the four holes 9 and 10 and the ink striptherebeneath are utilized.

Thus, a complete move-by-move and position-byposition record can be keptas the game moves along with practically no disturbance of the game. Thepositions of all the playing pieces can be recorded at any time, or eachindividual move as made can be recorded. The options are up to theplayers. For instance, the players may wish to record their first eightor 10 moves without moving the paper web, but then with each movethereafter the paper web will be moved by one increment. Other playersmay want to wait until important tactical divergent courses arise atwhich time the positions of all the playing pieces will be recorded sothat the players can later explore new possibilities from that pointafter they have tried a first line of play. It will be appreciated thatthe game goes on uninterrupted whether the players wish to record ornot, and a complete pictorial record is available at the will of theplayers.

From the foregoing specification it will be seen that the recordingmeans shown and described is very simple in construction and can beeconomically manufactured and easily and quickly used during andsimultaneously with each play to record on the record sheets the playsmade by the black and white playing pieces 5.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have beenparticularly shown and described, it should be understood that theinvention is capable of further modifications and changes in thearrangement and in the construction of the various parts may be made.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus for playing and recording successive plays in a gameusing a plurality of playing pieces having embossed recording indicia atone end thereof identifying each playing piece, said apparatuscomprising in combination:

a. a game board having a plurality of player positions, each playerposition including an aperture passing transversely through said boardfor receiving one of said playing pieces,

b. a grid mounted beneath said game board for movement in a directionsubstantially parallel to said game board between a recording positionand an inking position, said grid including perforations passingtransversely therethrough in alignment with said apertures in said gameboardwhen said grid is in said recording position and including inkingmeans on the surface thereof facing said game board' and in alignmentwith said apertures in said game board when said grid is in said inkingposition, and

0. means for retaining a sheet of paper substantially parallel to theplane of said board and grid at a position below the grid,

. whereby each successive play may be recorded by first pressing aselected playing piece through the aperture at a selected one of saidplayer positions while said grid is in said inking position to ink therecording indicium on the end thereof and then, after moving said gridto said recording position, again pressing said selected playing piecethrough said aperture in said board and an aligned perforation in saidgrid to mark said sheet of paper with said inked indicium at a positioncorresponding to said player position.

2. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means forretaining said sheet of paper comprises means for supplying a continuousweb of paper.

3. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said retaining meanscomprises a guide plate substantially parallel to said grid forsupporting a part of said web of paper adjacent said grid.

4. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said supply meanscomprises means supporting a continuous roll of paper web for feeding tosaid guide plate.

5. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said supply meanscomprises means supporting a continuous folded stack of paper web forfeeding to said guide plate.

6.A game apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further comprising meansreleasably securing said continuous web of material against displacementon said guide plate.

7. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising meansbiasing said grid in the direction of said inking position.

8. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said grid includesperforations equal in number to said apertures in said game board.

9. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game boardincludes an additional aperture and said grid includes an additionalperforation in alignment with said additional aperture in said gameboard when said grid is in said recording position for receiving andrecording a captured playing piece.

10. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game boardincludes an additional aperture and said grid includes an additionalperforation in alignment with said additional aperture in said gameboard when said grid is in said recording position for receiving andrecording a checking playing piece.

11. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game boardcomprises biasing means for retaining each of said playing pieces in anelevated position in the apertures in said game board except when saidplaying pieces are pressed downwardly to ink said indicia or make arecording on said sheet of paper.

12. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means forretaining a sheet of paper comprises slide means supporting said gridfor movement between said inking and recording positions.

13. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said grid comprisestongue means for manually moving said grid between said inking andrecording positions.

. 14. A game apparatus for playing and recording successive plays in agame comprising in combination:

a. a plurality of playing pieces having embossed recording indicia atone end thereof identifying each playing piece,

b. a game board having a plurality of player positions, each playerposition including an aperture passing transversely through said boardfor receiving one of said playing pieces,

. a grid mounted beneath said game board for movement in a directionsubstantially parallel to said game board between a recording positionand an inking position, said grid including perforations passingtransversely therethrough in alignment with said apertures in said gameboard when said grid is in said recording position and including inkingmeans on the surface thereof facing said game board in alignment withsaid apertures in said game board when said grid is in said inkingposition, and

. means for retaining a sheet of paper substantially parallel to theplane of said board and grid at a position below the grid,

e. whereby each successive play may be recorded by first pressing aselected playing piece through the aperture at a selected one of saidplayer positions while said grid is in said inking position to ink therecording indicium on the end thereof and then, after moving said gridto said recording position, again pressing said selected playing piecethrough said aperture in said board and an aligned perforation in saidgrid to mark said sheet of paper with the inked indicium at a positioncorresponding to said player position.

15. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of said playingpieces comprises a shank for insertion in any of said apertures locatedin said game board and spring biasing means for retaining said playingpiece in an elevated position in an aperture except when said playingpiece is depressed for inking said indicia or for recording on saidsheet of paper.

16. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein each of said playingpieces comprises a shoulder spaced from the end of said shank, saidspring means being a coil spring about said shank.

1. A game apparatus for playing and recording successive plays in a gameusing a plurality of playing pieces having embossed recording indicia atone end thereof identifying each playing piece, said apparatuscomprising in combination: a. a game board having a plurality of playerpositions, each player position including an aperture passingtransversely through said board for receiving one of said playingpieces, b. a grid mounted beneath said game board for movement in adirection substantially parallel to said game board between a recordingposition and an inking position, said grid including perforationspassing transversely therethrough in alignment with said apertures insaid game board when said grid is in said recording position andincluding inking means on the surface thereof facing said game board andin alignment with said apertures in said game board when said grid is insaid inking position, and c. means for retaining a sheet of papersubstantially parallel to the plane of said board and grid at a positionbelow the grid, d. whereby each successive play may be recorded by firstpressing a selected playing piece through the aperture at a selected oneof said player positions while said grid is in said inking position toink the recording indicium on the end thereof and then, after movingsaid grid to said recording position, again pressing said selectedplaying piece through said aperture in said board and an alignedperforation in said grid to mark said sheet of paper with said inkedindicium at a position corresponding to said player position.
 1. A gameapparatus for playing and recording successive plays in a game using aplurality of playing pieces having embossed recording indicia at one endthereof identifying each playing piece, said apparatus comprising incombination: a. a game board having a plurality of player positions,each player position including an aperture passing transversely throughsaid board for receiving one of said playing pieces, b. a grid mountedbeneath said game board for movement in a direction substantiallyparallel to said game board between a recording position and an inkingposition, said grid including perforations passing transverselytherethrough in alignment with said apertures in said game board whensaid grid is in said recording position and including inking means onthe surface thereof facing said game board and in alignment with saidapertures in said game board when said grid is in said inking position,and c. means for retaining a sheet of paper substantially parallel tothe plane of said board and grid at a position below the grid, d.whereby each successive play may be recorded by first pressing aselected playing piece through the aperture at a selected one of saidplayer positions while said grid is in said inking position to ink therecording indicium on the end thereof and then, after moving said gridto said recording position, again pressing said selected playing piecethrough said aperture in said board and an aligned perforation in saidgrid to mark said sheet of paper with said inked indicium at a positioncorresponding to said player position.
 2. A game apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said means for retaining said sheet of paper comprisesmeans for supplying a continuous web of paper.
 3. A game apparatus asclaimed in claim 2 wherein said retaining means comprises a guide platesubstantially parallel to said grid for supporting a part of said web ofpaper adjacent said grid.
 4. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 3wherein said supply means comprises means supporting a continuous rollof paper web for feeding to said guide plate.
 5. A game apparatus asclaimed in claim 3 wherein said supply means comprises means supportinga continuous folded stack of paper web for feeding to said guide plate.6. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further comprising meansreleasably securing said continuous web of material against displacementon said guide plate.
 7. A game apparatus as claimed iN claim 1 furthercomprising means biasing said grid in the direction of said inkingposition.
 8. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gridincludes perforations equal in number to said apertures in said gameboard.
 9. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game boardincludes an additional aperture and said grid includes an additionalperforation in alignment with said additional aperture in said gameboard when said grid is in said recording position for receiving andrecording a captured playing piece.
 10. A game apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said game board includes an additional aperture and saidgrid includes an additional perforation in alignment with saidadditional aperture in said game board when said grid is in saidrecording position for receiving and recording a checking playing piece.11. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game boardcomprises biasing means for retaining each of said playing pieces in anelevated position in the apertures in said game board except when saidplaying pieces are pressed downwardly to ink said indicia or make arecording on said sheet of paper.
 12. A game apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said means for retaining a sheet of paper comprisesslide means supporting said grid for movement between said inking andrecording positions.
 13. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 12 whereinsaid grid comprises tongue means for manually moving said grid betweensaid inking and recording positions.
 14. A game apparatus for playingand recording successive plays in a game comprising in combination: a. aplurality of playing pieces having embossed recording indicia at one endthereof identifying each playing piece, b. a game board having aplurality of player positions, each player position including anaperture passing transversely through said board for receiving one ofsaid playing pieces, c. a grid mounted beneath said game board formovement in a direction substantially parallel to said game boardbetween a recording position and an inking position, said grid includingperforations passing transversely therethrough in alignment with saidapertures in said game board when said grid is in said recordingposition and including inking means on the surface thereof facing saidgame board in alignment with said apertures in said game board when saidgrid is in said inking position, and d. means for retaining a sheet ofpaper substantially parallel to the plane of said board and grid at aposition below the grid, e. whereby each successive play may be recordedby first pressing a selected playing piece through the aperture at aselected one of said player positions while said grid is in said inkingposition to ink the recording indicium on the end thereof and then,after moving said grid to said recording position, again pressing saidselected playing piece through said aperture in said board and analigned perforation in said grid to mark said sheet of paper with theinked indicium at a position corresponding to said player position. 15.A game apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of said playingpieces comprises a shank for insertion in any of said apertures locatedin said game board and spring biasing means for retaining said playingpiece in an elevated position in an aperture except when said playingpiece is depressed for inking said indicia or for recording on saidsheet of paper.